Planning meals is an activity that can bring a number of benefits. Whether you are cooking for one, for two or for your entire family, taking the time to sit down and plan future meals will not only save you time, effort and money but will also improve your eating habits. I wanted to make a fine dining dinner for us and here are some reasons why you should start planning your meals.
1. You Will Eat Healthier
Perhaps the number one reason to begin planning meals is that it lets you eat healthier. When you already have a menu of the foods you’re going to prepare forthe next several days, you won’t have to resort to eating out or ordering takeout.

2. You Shop More Efficiently
When you make a habit of planning your meals, you can also get to shop forgroceries more efficiently. This is because you will already have a list of theingredients you need even before you go the supermarket or grocery. This will eliminate those annoying instances when you’re in the middle of cooking and you discover that you’ve ran out of a necessary ingredient, so you end up rushing to the store or doing without the ingredient.

3. You Save More Money
When you are dining out less and shopping for groceries more efficiently, you will naturally get to save money. In fact, you can even include costs in your meal plans as well so you can have an idea how much you can expect to spend. Once you know what ingredients you will be needing, you can also find out where to buy theseingredients cheaply.

4. You Will Enjoy Variety
Another good thing about planning meals is that it lets you enjoy variety. Instead of eating the same dish five times a week, you can plan your menu so you are always enjoying something new. Perhaps you can cook fish on Monday, beef on Tuesday, lamb on Wednesday, a vegetarian dish on Thursday and chicken for Friday. This is particularly helpful if you have children who are picky about their food. You can also ask for their preferences when planning meals so you can be sure they will like to dishes you serve them.